The Ghost in the trees
by wildlilpony
Summary: 1st it started with the phone calls and then footsteps and objects disappearing and reappearing. This is what happened to the victims before they died. Its a ghost, the townspeople say. But i don't believe in ghosts. Till Booth and I get a phone call...
1. Chapter 1 The dark woods

THE DARK WOODS.

Hi guys. I know i said at the end of 'Confessions' that my next update would be chapter two of 'A Picture Tells a Story:The green eyed monster. But its going to be delayed; I decided that our B and B should have a little good old fashioned quality time together before i make things complicated. I need some drama free chapters [at least as drama free as B and B can get] so here's my new fic and i'll be continuing with 'The green eyed Monster after this fic.

Brennan watched as Booth drove towards Pennsylvania. The peaceful silence washed over her, as she stared out the window watching the rain fall down. Brennan sighed. She was tired of the rain. She wished it would stop at some point, but the rain refused to listen to her wishes. The water kept on falling, first gently and then more harder. They had listened to the radio for two hours but the music Brennan liked to listen to drove Booth crazy. And then they spent another few hours arguing, first about Booth never letting Brennan drive and then about little things. Booth had gotten pretty tired of Brennan arguing about the driving issue so he had given into her; if only to shut her up for a while. And then Brennan had decided that she was tired and she let Booth drive again after their stop to get more petrol and lunch. Brennan realised that the rain wouldnt stop for awhile so she decided to sit back and enjoy the rain rather than spend the last of the few hours unpleasantly hating the weather and wishing it would clear up. She closed her eyes and tried to stop worrying about the series of unsolved cases that Cam had told her about yesterday evening...

Cam glanced at Booth and Brennan as they sat down in her office.

'Brennan you have been excused from working here for the next two weeks. Local law enforcement in Pennsylvania have asked for the FBI's help to solve a series of unsolved murder cases in the area. Booth, you've already been briefed by the FBI. But here's what they all have so far in the way of evidence. Cam said pointing to five files worth of unsolved cases. You'll have access to particulates and the bodies which have been exhumed at the request of the coroner and the families who havent gotten any answers. We'll all keep in touch via conference if you need any help with evidence; but generally you'll have everything you need.' Said Cam, watching Booth and Brennan look at each other before standing up and grabbing the case files and get ready for their long road trip towards Pennsylvania.

Cam smiled to herself as she watched them go. Booth insisting on carrying the files for her, and Brennan insisting that she didnt need any help carrying files. _Quality time. She thought to herself, is exactly what those two need right now. _She had to laugh as Brennan punched Booth on the shoulder and Booth pretending that Brennan's punch had hurt him.

Booth smiled as he watched Brennan sleep. He was glad for the peace and quiet; normally he preferred listening to sportcasts while driving but he had gotten really tired of listening to Brennan jabber on and on about letting her drive and about little things that only kids would argue about. He stopped the car and glanced at the huge mansion that they were staying in. The site of the five unsolved murders, Booth thought to himself. He had reservations about bringing his partner to a hotel/mansion place that had been the site of so many murders but Brennan had refused to allow him to talk her out of going with him; he admitted to himself that he was annoyed that she was never worried when it came to herself but he also admired that about her; he loved the fact that she never backed down, that she would do what she had to to get justice for the people out there who were murdered, the people who were still here to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Because Brennan had insisted that she and her team go through all the evidence again, with fresh unbiased eyes, the Pennsylvania police and FBI had decided to set up the second floor with most or all the technology they would need to reprocess evidence in order to solve the unsolved cases; He glanced at all the trees that the wind lashed at violently and that were planted all around the mansion and he looked around nervously; he noticed how dark it seemed; too much shade and trees meant that if the murderer or stranger decided to sneak up on them they had an added advantage of having plenty of places to hide where they could not be seen. The glass windows on the top story were all smashed and he shuddered as the branches of the tallest tree kept tapping on the few panes of glass that were left there. The murderer has a way in, Booth thought. He had to check out the attic as soon as possible. True, the murderer would have to be a good climber or he'd need a ladder to get into the house; but Booth hoped that the murderer would not be too smart; _not much chance of that. If he's smart enough to get away with five murders and not leave behind much evidence then he's pretty intelligent. _Booth thought to himself grimly. He glanced at the falling trellises of plants; roses. Or they would have been if someone had carefully tended to them. He looked over at his partner who was fitfully sleeping. He hated to wake her up, but they needed to get inside before it started to rain heavily again. He looked at the clouds that were dark and brooding and he knew that they had very little time before it would start raining heavily again.

Brennan jumped as she felt a hand on her. She opened her eyes, heart pounding and found Booth inches away from her face. He was grinning as he realised that he had scared her.

'Dont do that again Booth.' she said.

'Dont do what? Bones. He said, ignoring the frown she gave him. I'm sorry, did i scare you?'

'Of course not, Booth.'

He grinned. But didnt call her on the lie she just told. Instead he said. 'We're here, Bones. End of the line. Its going to rain again, pretty hard by the looks of it. Let's see if we can get all our stuff on the porch before it rains again, huh?'

Brennan glanced at him, still annoyed but she took on the challenge immediately. 'Last one in has to cook dinner tonight.' She said as she rushed by him and grabbed her bags. She laughed as she passed Booth, who was standing by the car by the time she was standing on the porch.

'Hey, that wasnt fair. You had a head start.' He said as he grabbed his bag and locked the car. He had just reached the porch when the rain began to pour.

Brennan shivered slightly as she looked around at her surroundings.

'Lots of trees, three levels, weeds, lots of shade, out in the middle of nowhere, stormy weather. Classic haunted house. These places are designed to play on your fears.' Said Brennan.

'You dont believe in ghosts. Why dont you just admit that you're scared and that you find this place, creepy.' Said Booth teasingly.

'I'm not scared, Booth. She said with a snort. Ghosts arent real. Its just trees. Its just darkness. There's no monsters in the dark. Its just the rain, the wind and the trees. Its the atmosphere and the movies you watch that put ideas in your head.'

Brennan grabbed the ball shaped doorknocker and Booth almost winced slightly as she dragged the doorknocker back and forth. Brennan grinned slyly as she noticed his wince. The door screeched open and Booth watched as Brennan's face lost colour and her ear shattering scream pierced the air...

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2 Something isn't right

THE GHOST IN THE TREES.

CHAPTER 2. Something isnt right.

Disclaimer. Not mine. Bones belongs to FOX.

Booth jumped a little and then pushed Brennan to the side, drawing his gun. And then he looked at the statue of a man with some realistic looking snakes all over him. He looked over at Brennan with a bit of a smile.

'Its just a statue Bones. They're not real snakes.' He said grinning at her as he grabbed the bags and put them in the lobby. He glanced curiously around him and noticed the high walls with paintings etched into the walls. He noticed doors and doors and long twisting hallways; _this place is huge. Easy to get lost in here. There's a lot of places for people to hide here. _

The old caretaker smiled at the man and woman at the door. Realistic arent they? He asked. You must be Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth. He said holding out his hand for a handshake. I'm william Weatherby. If you'll follow me i'll show you to your rooms.' He said leading the two of them to the second floor; he opened the door at the end of the hall and Brennan glanced into the room. She noticed the dark wood walls and dreary tapestries of old fashioned looking men and women; Brennan shivered slightly, they had really severe expressions on their faces and they gave a gloomy air to the room.

Weatherby opened two doors in the small apartment sized room that were adjacent to each other, showed them the fully stocked kitchen and suggested that they might like to settle in before they made their way to the makeshift morgue three doors down. Brennan walked over to the fire that was blazing merrily in the fireplace. The fire warmed up the room a little bit but she still felt cold. Weatherby closed the door behind him after placing two keys on the table and then there was silence, save the sounds of the rain falling and the sound of the howling wind in the trees outside. Brennan walked over to the window and looked out, she opened the window a little bit and she heard the gentle sound of wind chimes blowing in the wind. She looked at the trails of vines and the dead flowerbeds outside. She glanced at a pile of old wooden shacks that had fallen in on themselves. _They look like they were the servant quarters a long time ago,_ thought Brennan. The wind blew the curtains violently and Brennan closed the window again.

'This place is really spooky. Something isnt right,' Said Booth. Brennan didnt want to agree with Booth, she was still feeling a little ashamed at being scared by the statue.

'You're right. There have been five murders here,' said Brennan deliberately changing the direction of the conversation to the murders, rather than the atmospheric vibe of the mansion that she knew Booth was referring to. Silently though, she agreed with Booth. Something wasnt right.

TBC.

Short i know. But i had visitors from Melbourne, didnt give me much time to update; I've discovered the tv show Fringe and i've been spending a few days catching up with every episode thats aired; I just bought my first car and fourthly its hard to write something when you have no idea what to write next. Thats the strange part about writing sometimes, one day you have no idea what to write, or which direction you want to go with a story, 24hrs later you know exactly what you want to write. I promise to update again in a few days, i've got enough ideas to write the third chapter however i'll need some ideas and inspiration on where to go after the third chapter. If you have some ideas of what you'd like to see, review and let me know. Lol. Stay tuned.


	3. Chapter 3 A bit of history

THE GHOST IN THE TREES

CHAPTER 3. A BIT OF HISTORY.

DISCLAIMER. NOT MINE.

Booth drank the last of his warm cup of coffee and put on a jumper. He watched Brennan adding a cardigan over her purple long sleeved blouse; a blouse that showed off her figure very well. He watched her combing her soft silky hair with her fingers and he... _Focus. Booth. Do not go there. _Brennan looked at him as the heat flooded over his face. She felt a little awkward and self conscious as she noticed the heat in Booth's eyes. But she also felt excited that he noticed her.

'Let's go look at the evidence Bones and then maybe we could meet some of the people who live here year round. The mayor staunchly refused to close this place up until we solve the murders; they get quite a good income renting out the rooms like a bed and breakfast/hotel. This place was built a few hundred years ago, so it's considered a tourist attraction in this town. They've kept the murders quiet so as not to panic any newcomers, so we're going to have to be discreet in the way we question or talk to the people who are staying here.' Said Booth.

'Discreet? I'm quite capable of being discreet Booth,' Said Brennan with a hint of annoyance.

'You often lack subtlety Bones,' Said Booth opening the door for her and then locking the door after she had stepped out. They were so busy bickering back and forth that they didnt notice the little girl watching them with interest.

Little Betty Ann watched the newcomers with a serious expression on her face. She watched them go into the makeshift lab and close the door. She looked down at the piece of white paper and she picked up her pencil and began to draw.

Brennan and Booth felt discouraged. They had gone through the evidence over and over again but they had found very little in the way of evidence that Booth was beginning to think that the murders would never be solved. They walked downstairs and observed the people who were in the big living room conversing and talking with each other. While the owners of the house had made some changes to the bedrooms by making them into little apartments Booth noticed that they had managed to salvage whatever they could from when the mansion was first built. He admired the craftsmanship of the wooden tables and noticed the little uneven surfaces of the handmade tables and chairs. He looked at the wobbly panes of glass in the windows. The homemade lace curtains that someone had taken a lot of time to sew. Brennan looked at Booth as he fingered the lace curtains;

'Hand sewn,' a woman with long black hair streaked with white said. Back in those days there weren't any sewing machines and curtains were very expensive and hard to come by; whenever they could afford it they bought yards of material and spent hours hand sewing clothes and curtains. Such amazing, detailed work. So much detail that you cant get out of sewing machines.'

'It is beautiful, said Brennan. I've always wanted to learn how to sew. But i've never had the patience for it.'

'Ahh. Anyone can learn, Dearie. I could give you a few lessons. So what brings you to this haunted mansion?' She asked with a serious but jesting look at Brennan. For a few seconds Brennan was disconcerted but Booth stepped in.

'Why do you say its haunted?' Asked Booth.

'It's what people say. I've lived in one of these apartments for fifty years and the things that have gone on while I've lived here. People become paranoid; they complain that they get phone calls from a nobody. People feel like they're being watched and followed. And then they get murdered. I'd get out of here while you still can. This place isn't for young, attractive people such as yourself..'

'Grandma Day. You've got to stop telling tales. Don't scare away our new guests before they settle in. This is a very nice place...' said a younger looking woman with the same long black hair. A man grabbed Grandma Day's hand gently and led her towards the couch and the fire.

Brennan and Booth watched as he placed a white lace cardigan over her shoulders and placed a pair of knitting needles in front of her. She started knitting as he played Manopoly with a little boy of about eleven.

'Dont mind her. She's been telling these tales for a long time. There have been a few murders here and the police havent solved those cases yet. Because the murderer hasnt been found yet people have decided to turn him into a ghost rather than a human being who seems to be very skilled at getting away with killing people.'

'I can promise you, nobody can get away with murder. It's very hard to commit the perfect crime.' Said Brennan.

Booth put a hand over her shoulder warning her to keep quiet.

The young black haired woman looked over at her grandmother to see that she had stopped knitting and was looking at a photograph on the mantel piece. The old lady wiped the tear that had fallen from her eyes.

Booth looked at the photo too. 'Who was she? The girl in the photo?'

'My grandmothers best friend. Her name was Loren Carvers. She was murdered a few months after she moved here. Her parents had inherited this house after some distant relative had passed away. The family couldnt bear to stay here after the murder of their daughter so they decided to give the house to my great grandparents; they were best friends with the Carvers. No one knows very much about the previous owners...'

Little Betty Ann glanced up as she heard her mother talking about her grandmother and then she looked down at the paper with a drawing of a teenaged girl with a delicate pretty smile; but dancing vivacious eyes and curly blonde hair.

51 YEARS AGO.

_Daisy glanced at herself in the parlor room mirror admiring the beautiful dress that Loren had shown her and looked at her friend Loren Carvers blonde curls enviously. Not for the first time she wished that she had blonde hair. She closed her eyes and counted to ten hoping that when she opened her eyes her wish would come true. Daisy made that same wish everyday; that she would one day have blonde curly hair like her best friend Loren rather than the lank, straight black hair that she had. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five...when she opened her eyes she sighed in disappointment. No luck. Her hair was still a raven black. She stiffened when she heard the clock chiming; without a word she and Loren took off their play clothes and got dressed in their Sunday school dresses and headed towards the nearby church. Daisy looked at Loren with wide eyes when Loren tried to convince her that they should skip going to church. That she wanted to show her something she had found just a few days ago._

'_Come on, Daisy. Be brave. It's church. If we say our prayers tonight god will forgive us. We'll be there next week.' _

_Daisy didn't feel right about skipping church but that was one of the many things she admired about Loren. Loren was brave and fun. And she never had a problem with having a good time. Daisy was a good girl. She was timid and quiet and she did everything that was asked of her. She was everything that Loren wasn't. Still not feeling right about it, she went along with her. _

_After Loren had shown her friend Daisy the baby bird that she had been nursing back to health she walked home; she decided to take a short cut through these tall trees. She heard a branch snap and the light sounds of footsteps. She heard the slight trickle of water falling down the trees; she smelled the fresh, clean air that she really enjoyed after a rain fall. It made everything smell so fresh. She frowned as she heard another twig snap. She looked around nervously. There was nobody there. She continued walking and she felt a strong sense of somebody watching her. She shivered as her hair stood up on the back of her neck warning her that somebody was there. She started running home with all her might. She banged the door closed and her heart thudded in fear as she worked to get her breath back. She listened as the rain started falling again and then she walked through the house and noticed that the house was silent. Her mother and father hadnt come back home yet. She sat in her chair weakly and just enjoyed the peace and quiet. She almost jumped when she heard the sound of the phone trilling, disturbing the peace. She picked up the phone but no matter how many times she said hello there was silence. All she heard was the sound of light breathing. She put the phone down and then she heard the sound of a dish shattering in the kitchen. She stood still and called for her mum. _

'_Mama. Is that you? Papa? Are you here?' _

_She stood stil, listening. And then tiptoed towards the kitchen softly; she winced as the floorboards creaked under her feet. She looked in the kitchen and found the plate of pumpkin pie had fallen down from the windowsill; she looked at the window and frowned as she tried to remember whether the window latch had been closed when she left. She distinctly remembered Daisy had closed the latch before they had left for church. But then she shrugged. Her memory was obviously playing tricks on her. She picked up the pie and heard a slight swishing noise and turned around to look at the doorway. Again, nobody. She was just about to turn around when she felt an intense pain in her leg and then she fell down to the floor. She struggled for a few seconds but then she finally stopped struggling as something hit her head and all she saw was blackness. _

_After he had killed Loren he had dragged her body and tied her broken body to the tree; he walked towards the tall trees where he had followed her as she walked home and he felt a sense of satisfaction when he heard the sounds of the girl's mother screaming when she saw her daughter hanging in the tree... _

I think i'll stop for today, i've spent the last five hours writing I'm hungry so i think i'll make my dinner. But more will be coming in the next few days. Hopefully by that time I'll have more ideas about where to go with this story. REVIEW if you like.


	4. Chapter 4 The Carver Curse

THE GHOST IN THE TREES.

Chapter 4. THE CARVER'S CURSE.

DISCLAIMER. NOT MINE. BONES BELONGS TO FOX.

Brennan wiped the tears out of her eyes as she thought about Grandma Day losing her best friend. Brennan herself had lost her mother but she didnt know what it would have been like to lose her best friend. She thought about maybe losing Angela one day, but shook herself out of those thoughts. She couldnt bear to think of ever losing Angela. She remembered how she had felt when she thought Booth was dead. She stared outside the window for a few minutes trying to get rid of those unwanted thoughts.

'Oh my dear. Are you okay?' Asked the young woman.

Booth looked at Bones and then put his arms around her comfortingly.

'She'll be fine.' Replied Booth.

'I'll give you a few minutes alone. We're making the kids some hot chocolate and popcorn. Its ghost story night. Its a tradition on stormy, windy nights like today. Join us please. You can even tell a story if you like, although we have to be pretty careful that they arent too scary...' The young woman said looking at the way Seeley Booth held Temperance Brennan. She sighed to herself and she felt like she was intruding on them. Her voice faded away as she walked towards the big kitchen and dining room after giving the couple an amused look.

Brennan breathed in and out slowly and then she realised that Booth had kept his arms around her. She smiled as she felt his warmth seeping through her body, comforting her. What it would be like to be so near him for longer than a few seconds she thought with a longing that surprised even herself. A year ago those longings would have scared her enough to want to make her run away from them. And then she had to shake herself from the thought as she felt herself grow hot. Booth had to smile as he saw Brennan's reflection through the glass window pane; he saw her face go hot and felt her body temperature rise. 'I'm here, Bones.' He whispered comfortingly. Brennan leaned against Booth a little longer, taking comfort in his nearness. She didn't believe in ghosts _and yet_. _And yet, she said completing the sentence, this mansion really screws with your head. _

Brennan looked at the files in frustration and realized that they were wasting their time reading about the murders when they had another option. Exhume the bodies. Booth looked at her and realised what she was thinking; but he also realized that they weren't getting anywhere here, so he got out his cell phone and made the call. 'The bodies will be delivered here in a few hours. He said. Meanwhile I'm going to be listening to the evidence tapes the local police sent us.'

'Hmm. Said Booth. This Calvin Willowsen sounds like a possible suspect,' Said Booth as he finished listening to the evidence tape. The police never looked at him as a suspect for very long; despite the fact that they had some sort of family grudge with each other. Brennan looked at him sharply as she heard the name Willowsen.

'Did you say, Willowsen?' asked Bones as she looked at the papers that had just been faxed to her.

'Yeah Bones. Why, what's wrong?' He asked as he watched her face.

He glanced at Bones as she went through the papers. He looked puzzled.

'Angela just faxed me these articles. The woman who told us about Loren Carver's murder told us that they didnt know anything about the Carver's that owned the house before Loren Carver's family did. So I had Angela look into it. Loren isnt the only Carver who died in this mansion.

Little Betty Anne put down her book with Braille writing on it when she felt a gust of wind. She shivered when she felt someone there, but then she calmed down and smiled at the person in front of her. She knew who it was. She grabbed a piece of blank drawing paper that her mother and father kept handy to the right of her bed, picked up the pencil and began to draw a little boy with short curly blonde hair with bright friendly eyes and a ready grin. The woman next to him looked sad and rigid. She had brown curly hair and she looked worried.

_Jonathon Carver got into his car feeling angry and frustrated. He had begged his doctor Calvin Willowsen to help his wife. Jonathon had noticed that his wife Lillian Carver had spent the last few months in bed; she was constantly crying, so much that he had noticed that her mood was effecting his eight year old son, Ben. Jonathon noticed that Ben had started to tell joke after joke in the hope that he would get a smile out of his mother. Jonathon felt angry when he thought about his meeting with his doctor; his pleas to help his wife had fallen on deaf ears. Jonathon didn't want to go home; and he felt guilty about that. He knew that his wife and son needed him. He knew that leaving his son alone with his mother was a mistake; Ben was beginning to believe that he was the cause of his mother being sad all the time. But Jonathon just couldnt bring himself to go home. What kind of husband am I? What kind of father am I to let my son handle his mother alone, without me? He sighed as he remembered the day when he and Lillian had gotten married. He remembered the woman that his wife used to be, so happy and joyful, always ready to laugh about anything. This woman who was always in bed, who was always worried and constantly crying was not the woman he had married. She was a pale shadow of who his wife used to be and Jonathon felt cheated. So he drove around town trying to calm down. He knew that nobody was going to help him help his wife and son, so he would have to help his family by himself. As he drove around he drew more and more strength for the hard times ahead. He had no idea that he would need that strength in the upcoming months and years. Had Jonathon knew what was going to happen in the next half an hour while he was avoiding going home he would have immediately run home. But he didnt; and Jonathon would always regret the fact that he hadnt been a better man. _

_Lillian felt overwhelmed as she lay in bed. She was sad and she didnt know why or for what reason. She found herself feeling angry and resentful that while her husband was out she had to take care of Ben. If she had known how hard it was to be a mother she would never have had him. And then she began to feel guilty about not being a better mother. She sighed as the tears fell. The feeling of guilt was a conundrum that she could never escape. She opened her eyes to see her son Ben had made her breakfast in a tray. A glass of juice and a piece of toast. She tried to smile as he set the tray on the dressing table; Ben had a hopeful expression on his face. He began to tell her a joke in the hopes of making her smile; but Lillian was in no mood to smile at all. She knew that her son wouldn't leave her alone until she at least put on the appearance of being happy, so she smiled and laughed at his joke but inside she was screaming for her son to leave her alone. She wanted this all to end. She wanted everything to stop. She wished it could all be over. Ben smiled happily when he heard his mother laughing. He turned to get dressed for school, Lillian let him go. She was watching him put his boots on and then she walked over towards him as if she was in a dream and then...She opened her eyes and she screamed when she saw what she'd done; her son's body was hanging by the tall tree on the front porch. She cried and cried, letting the tears fall down her face. How could I do this? And then just as suddenly her tears stopped. She wiped them away and then she grabbed the shot gun that her husband used for hunting and shot herself, the gun falling out of her hands as she fell to the ground; her blood seeping onto her white nightgown. Jonathon screamed in absolute anger and grief when he saw the people he loved the most in the world dead on his front porch. He fell down to the ground at his wife's feet as the strength left him. The anger he felt at Dr. Willowsen for refusing to believe that there was a problem...Jonathon vowed that he would get revenge for the death of his wife and son. _

'The coroner said that Lillian Carver had strangled Ben and then shot herself after she had realized what she had done to her son. Said Brennan. There's another article here. Jonathon Carver sued Calvin Willowsen for not taking him seriously; for refusing to help his wife and son before this tragedy occurred. He succeeded Calvin Willowsen was fired from the board of Doctors a few weeks after the court case. He then became a cleaner.'

'Bones. Oh my god. He became a cleaner.' Said Booth looking at her meaningfully.

'So he became a cleaner. I dont get the significance...and then Bone's face lit up as she realized what Booth was getting at. 'Oh. Of course. We've been thinking that the killer didnt leave behind evidence because he was smart but what if he didnt leave behind evidence because he cleaned up after himself? We need to look for evidence of the killer cleaning up after himself.'

'Calvin Willowsen is at the top of the suspect list.' Said Booth.

'But there's something I dont understand Booth. Motive. Calvin Willowsen has a motive to kill Jonathon Carver for getting him fired from his job but what does he have against Loren Carver? It doesnt make sense.' Asked Bones puzzled.

Booth smiled at her. 'You're trying to use logic Bones. This is murder we're talking about. When it comes to anger sometimes there is no logic. Jonathon Carver gave this house to his younger brother. Perhaps Calvin went after Loren simply because she was a Carver.'

'Maybe.' Said Bones.

'Maybe? You say that but you dont agree with me, do you?' Asked Booth.

Brennan smiled at him but ignored the question. 'Grandma Day's insisted on giving me a sewing lesson, while you find and question Calvin Willowsen about the murder of Loren Carver I'll see what I can find out about the connection between Loren Carver and the Willowsen's. I'm not completely sold on the idea that Calvin Willowsen's the killer. For one thing he has no motive to kill Loren Carver... 


	5. Chapter 5 The Missing Link

Hey guys, sorry its been so long. I'm in the mood to rewatch season 1 through to 6 of Bones [for the first time in a year] so i havent updated in about a week. So here's a long chapter that I hope makes up for to DIKO for your great review; its reviews like yours that make writing even more worth it.

THE GHOST IN THE TREES.

CHAPTER 5. THE MISSING LINK.

DISCLAIMER. I dont own Bones. Bones belongs to FOX.

Grandma dais put down the pretty delicate tea set in front of them at the table. She added a few more cookies and biscotti into the little plates and then poured Brennan some soothing chamomile tea into her tea cup and then sat down after offering her sugar, which Brennan passed up and a few biscotti which Brennan accepted. Brennan looked around her curiously; but grandma Dais house was pretty and comfortable. It was a home style country kitchen with pots and pans hanging down from the walls; Brennan glanced at the cheerful fireplace which was blazing merrily and the cushy light pink flowered fat and comfortable armchairs and immediately felt at home. Little Betty Ann sat down next to the fire knitting, while her eleven year old brother built a castle out of leggo's. He was so busy concentrating that he didnt hear what they were talking about, but since Betty Ann had lost her eye sight a few years ago in a horrible accident while playing with firecrackers she was used to using the senses she had left. So she heard everything that Dr Brennan and her grandmother said.

'That's it dear,' Grandma Dai said as she showed Brennan how to do a simple sewing stitch, which Brennan finally got the hang of after a few tries. Brennan pushed her hair out of her eyes and noticed that she was sweating a little from concentrating on one thing for so long. Brennan glanced at the door to her left and noticed a double bed and on the bedside table there was a picture of Loren Carver. Grandma Dai noticed Brennan looking at the photo and smiled.

'She was my best friend, Loren Carver.' Said Grandma Dai. She was murdered by someone they never caught. I keep seeing her in my dreams. Every time I dream about her, she always asks me the same question. She always asks me why anyone would have hurt her like that, but I can't answer her question. I need to know who murdered her; I need to answer her question,' Said grandma Dais tearfully as she grabbed Brennan's hand gently. Brennan was uncomfortable for a bit, she felt sad for this woman who had lost her best friend, this woman who had been greatly affected by her friends murder. She sighed sadly. And then she realized she had an opportunity to learn all she could about Loren carver.

'Tell me about her. What was she like?'

Grandma Dais put down her sewing and took a sip of her tea, her hand shaking slightly. The lukewarm drink soothing her. She put the cup down and then she glanced at Brennan's beautiful, eager face. Little Betty Ann glanced up from her knitting and felt a cold draft around her. She shivered slightly and put her thin cardigan more tightly around her shoulders; and then as if she was in a trance she picked up her pencil and drew.

Grandma Dais smiled as she thought about the last time she had seen her friend. Her family spent a lot of time trying to protect her from the painful memories of her best friend, Loren Carver; they had often told her that she needed to forget about her, Grandma Dai missed her friend, she missed talking about her. She smiled as she thought about her.

'The last time I saw her, she had convinced me to skip going to church. I didn't want to do that, I was the good girl. But she wanted to show me something. So I went. She showed me a bird that she was nursing back to health. She was always like that. She had the kindest soul. She loved animals. I was always convinced that if women were allowed to have careers outside the home in those days she would have become a vet. And she had enough gumption and strength to do that. She was always nice to me; if Loren liked someone she would do absolutely anything for them; but if she didn't like someone...Watch out. She wasn't always the easiest person to get along with. There was an incident with a girl about our age, Matilda Willowsen.' Brennan perked up when she heard the name Willowsen.

Betty Ann's brother glanced at the drawing that Betty Ann had dropped to the floor as she walked into her bedroom. He recognized the woman in the drawing; it was his aunt, Matilda Willowsen. He frowned a little bit; he always wondered exactly why it was that his twelve year old sister often drew pictures of people from the past, most often she drew pictures of family members. He shook his head; he knew that that was one mystery that he'd never be able to solve. A gust of wind blew the picture of Matilda into the fire and little Betty Ann's brother watched as the picture disappeared in a blaze of fire.

_Loren Carver whispered into a girl's ear and then she whispered the same thing into Daisy's ear and Matilda Willowsen went red and hunched her shoulders as she watched the girl's whispering. She couldn't hear what Loren Carver was saying, but she guessed that the girls were whispering about her. Matilda glanced down at the cardigan she was wearing and felt ashamed. It was old and had a few holes in it; but since her father had lost his job money was pretty tight and they could no longer afford to buy new clothes or even food. Matilda often went to bed hungry because they had to careful ration out the food they could afford to buy. Since her father had lost his job he had taken to cleaning and selling fire wood; however those were jobs that didn't pay well and were less secure. Matilda knew that it was Loren's Uncle was to blame for her father losing his job; everyone around these parts knew the story, it had been a huge scandal. Matilda wondered if Loren knew the story, but then she realized that even if she didn't know that wasn't an excuse to be mean to someone because they couldn't afford to buy the latest fashionable clothes. She looked at them sourly. And then they all got up when Sister Therese' called them in from recess. Loren walked behind her meanly and stuck her foot out and Matilda tripped. Everyone laughed as she got up and wiped the mud off her face. She looked down at her cardigan which was now completely muddy and soaked from the rain that had stopped a few hours earlier. Sister Therese who hadn't seen Loren trip her up looked at her disgustedly. She reprimanded her and gave her another two demerit points for being clumsy and not taking pride in her appearance. Sister Therese insisted that she take off the cardigan. She looked at her brown skirt, which was less dirty and hoped against hope that she wouldn't have to take off all her clothes. Humiliated, Matilda did and Sister Therese grabbed the cardigan with her fingertips; she looked at her muddy skirt and also insisted that she take them off. Matilda had no choice but to spend the next few hours in her undergarments and light shirt. Everyone was turning blue from trying to hide their laughter from Sister Therese except for Daisy, who looked horrified at the kid's behavior; she was the only kid in the class who looked at her in sympathy. Matilda sat in the classroom and tried to listen to the lesson; but she spent the next few hours trying hard not to cry and succeeding, somewhat. After they had been dismissed Sister Therese had given her a lecture about keeping herself and her clothes clean, Matilda went into the washroom to pick up her muddy clothes; she picked them up and noticed that they had been torn to shreds. The tears that Matilda had kept in fell down in salty tracks. She walked home and closed the door quietly and then she sneaked upstairs as quietly as she could. But she ran into her older brother George; who taking a look at her tear streaked face and muddy clothes insisted on knowing what had happened. After she had taken a bath, her brother George hugged her and brushed her hair gently. He tucked Matilda into bed and told her not to worry. That he would take care of everything._

'I always felt bad about how Loren treated Matilda. It wasnt her fault that her father lost his job and yet Loren was always unkind to her. Everyone in the classroom went blue trying to keep their laughter in, except me. I felt so bad that i went over to her house the next afternoon. Her brother George opened the door. Oh boy was he handsome. I had never been interested in boys before, most of them were pains in the neck; but he was different. He was quite taken with me too, he asked me to go out with him. I told him that my parents would have to meet with his. They always felt that it was important for them to know the parents as well as the boy. They obviously approved, so I was allowed to date him. I married him a few years later. George Willowsen. My husband. That's him in the picture. Handsome isn't he?' Asked Grandma Dais, smiling at the photo fondly and a little sadly.

Brennan smiled. 'Yes, he is quite handsome.' She said looking at the photo of the man.

'Anyway I told Matilda that I was sorry for Loren's behavior. A few days later Loren was murdered. Things got worse for Matilda's family after that, everyone looked at her father as a suspect even though he and his wife were both over at our house having dinner with us at the time of Loren's murder. Matilda and I became close friends after that and then she became my sister in law. Poor Matilda and her family moved away indefinitely. They couldn't handle the stares and the whispers; nobody would trust Calvin Willowsen, the Carver's were very influential people, so the townspeople shunned the Willowsen's. It became impossible for Calvin Willowsen to get a job. After George and I got married we decided to follow the Willowsen's when they moved away, but it never felt like home, so a few years later we came back and bought the Carver's place. Turned it into a bed and breakfast.'

Brennan and Grandma Dais flinched slightly as they heard a lock in the door. Grandma Dais looked around and blinked when she noticed that while she had been talking to Brennan it had gotten darker. She smiled and ran to the man and woman standing in the doorway. And then Grandma Dais moved out of the way and Brennan saw the woman that she and Booth had spoken to earlier and the man that she and Booth had seen at the fireplace last night.

'Temperance, meet my children Amy and Matthew.'

'Well hello, Dr. Brennan. Its nice to see you again.'

Matthew just looked at her suspiciously and then he glanced at the table and looked at the tea and sewing paraphernalia on the table and he looked pleased.

'Would you like to stay for dinner?' Asked Amy.

'Why thank you. But it's late. My partner and I have made dinner plans. Said Brennan looking at the time in astonishment. I didn't realize how late it had gotten.'

'Yes. I had a wonderful time deary. Maybe you could come over for dinner tomorrow. And bring that handsome husband of yours.' Said Grandma Dais, winking at Brennan.

Brennan blushed as she started to tell her that she and Booth weren't married. But she noticed that Grandma Dais looked tired and she decided to leave. As she was about to close the door behind her, Betty Ann handed her a folded up drawing. Brennan glanced at Betty Ann and thanked her. She was about to look at it when her phone rang. She decided to have a look at it later.

'Booth. How'd everything go?' Brennan asked as she flipped open her phone.

'Not good. Bones. Calvin Willowsen isn't a suspect. You were right. They were having dinner at Daisy Grandhold's place that night. It wasn't him.'

'Yes. I had a conversation with Grandma Dais. She told me that also. I'm going to be home in a few minutes, where are you right now? Grandma Dais told me a lot of things about the Willowsen's'.

Brennan was so involved in the phone conversation that she didn't notice Matthew Willowsen watching her as she walked into her apartment and closed the door.

Brennan stirred the soup in the saucepan and then the phone rang. She glanced at the wall phone wondering who that could be. She shrugged and answered it.

'Hello. Hello.' Said Brennan impatiently. Brennan felt a sense of fear creeping over her, although she had no idea why she should be scared about a phone call from somebody who was obviously playing a joke.

She hung up the phone and then she heard the tea kettle whistling. She shrieked as she felt a pair of hands clamping around her waist and then whirled around and saw Booth who howled with laughter. She gasped and then lashed out at him angrily.

'Dont do that again, Booth.' She said glaring at him.

Booth continued to laugh as Brennan handed him some silverware and he set the table, still grinning. Brennan walked over to the door and locked it when she noticed that it was open. She thought it was strange that Booth hadnt bothered to close it. As she walked towards the kitchen she noticed the piece of drawing paper that Betty Ann had given her and she opened it up and paled when she saw a picture of herself, a scared look on her face as she answered the phone and the shadow of a man dressed in black watching her through the window. Brennan glanced over at the windows, but she only saw darkness. With a shiver she locked the windows tightly and closed the curtains. And then she walked towards Booth taking the picture with her.

I'm afraid i have to stop here, i'd like to keep writing but its my friends birthday today and i have to get ready for it. But hopefully i'll finish this story soon. There's one or two more chapters left.

Keep the great reviews coming my way.


	6. Chapter 6 Dead Ends And New Leads

Hi, I didnt think i'd be updating again so soon, but here's a bonus chapter for all you loyal readers. I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of this week so I can concentrate on my other stories; and another bonus, there's two more chapters after this. I've suddenly come up with a few extra new scenes that i hadnt thought of before. Originally i thought this story would be about 7 chapters, but now it looks like there'll be 8. Anyway, enjoy and thanks again to Diko for his review.

THE GHOST IN THE TREES.

CHAPTER 6. DEAD ENDS AND NEW LEADS.

DISCLAIMER. BONES BELONGS TO FOX.

'Look, I want you to be careful Bones.' Booth said instantly worried as she showed him the picture that Betty Ann had drawn her.

Brennan was beginning to regret showing Booth the drawing. 'Its just a picture Booth.'

'Look, I know you want to explain away the picture, but how do you explain the fact that she drew the picture of you on the phone, before you get a phone call from 'someone playing a practical joke? This isnt a joke, Bones. I'm sure that's what Loren Carver thought just before she was murdered. I'm sure thats what all the other victims thought before they died. That it was just some nobody on the phone playing a practical joke. And why did she draw a man watching you from the windows?'

Brennan was about to answer him, when her laptop sounded, telling her that she had gotten a new email.

'They've gotten evidence off of Loren Carver's dress. The killer stabbed her with a knife on the leg and he left a bit of hair on her dress that the killer didn't see. The DNA matches George Willowsen. He murdered Loren Carver.' Said Bones looking upset.

'Well it fits. George Willowsen had a motive to kill Loren Carver. His parents were at Daisy's house having dinner with her parents. And George was Matilda's brother. Matilda had obviously told him what had happened that day and he wanted to defend her. Unfortunately for us, George Willowsen is dead. He died from a rare form of cancer about fifteen years ago. Unfortunately this is where Loren Carver's story ends.' Said Booth regretfully.

'It's not over Booth. George Willowsen murdered Loren Carver, the evidence supports that; but what about the other murders? George Willowsen didn't murder them. The murders started a few years after George Willowsen died.'

'We've hit a dead end. Loren's Carver's murder was justified. It was just some kid who wanted to defend his sister; his family; he had a motive to kill Loren Carver. But the murders that happened afterwards don't make much sense; there was no apparent reason for their murders. Grace O'Brady was just a lonely woman whose family had just died. And Daphne Fillerson; she had just lost custody of her kids after getting a divorce from her husband. What's the connection between them and the Willowsen's or Carvers? It's probably just some local punk who's become addicted to killing. I mean in each case he stalks them. He gets off on scaring them. On feeling powerful. He's smart, Bones. Is there anything at all in the way of evidence?'

Brennan sighed as she regretfully told him that there was nothing new to learn at the moment.

'We'll just have to keep our eyes and ears open for the next few days.' Said Booth looking as displeased and frustrated as Brennan looked. Brennan kept on hoping that they would find something. She didn't like the thought of leaving before bringing the victims to justice. She didn't like the thought of leaving this place while there was still a murderer on the loose that was preying on innocent people...

Brennan turned over and thumped her pillow. She shivered a little and pulled the cover over her. She was tired, but she felt really restless. Outside she listened to the wind howling and the rain pitter pattering lightly. The rain had finally seemed to calm down, although it was still cold. Brennan hated the rain, it made her feel restless. Brennan was just laying in bed enjoying the peace and quiet when she froze a little. She heard the sound of the floorboards creaking. She continued to listen. Feeling alarmed she sat up in her bed; she looked all around her room fearfully, but didn't see anyone. She looked over towards the windows as she noticed the curtains billowing gently. She frowned slightly. She walked over and noticed that the window was open. _Hmm. That's strange she thought to herself. I thought I closed the window. She shrugged. This house could really get to you. _She closed the window and then she turned around and gasped. There was a woman standing there in a long white gown. Brennan looked down and noticed that her legs were all bloody and that half of the beautiful white dress with a gold sash was caked in blood. Her face was all in shadows. Brennan walked towards her and then she noticed the blonde curls and the beautiful sad eyes. Brennan looked closer and realized that it wasn't a woman. It was a child. She gasped, as she remembered the photo she had seen of her in Grandma Dais room. She clutched her stomach as she realized that Loren Carver was standing a few feet away from her, staring at her, her eyes seemed to be asking her a question. Loren turned around and disappeared when she heard the sounds of footsteps tiptoeing towards the room. Brennan's door opened and a man in black came forward with a knife in his hands. He swung for her and Brennan woke up gasping in fear. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and noticed that she was sweaty and clammy. She looked towards the windows and noticed the light filtering through the curtains. Feeling a little shaky, with the remnants of the dream running through her mind, she walked towards the curtains and opened them, the frosty flood of dawn sunlight lighting up the room, making the shadows disappear for the moment. Brennan sat down on her bed trying to make herself forget about the dream. She heard Booth waking up and walking towards the bathroom, she winced as she listened to him cracking his knuckles.

'Hey Booth. Have you seen my keys? I specifically remember putting them on my bedside table. They're not there anymore.'

Booth looked at her oddly as he took a sip of his coffee and flipped the pancakes warming in the fry pan. 'I saw them on the hall table, Bones. Are you okay? He asked her as he saw the puzzled expression on her face.

'I'm fine Booth. I'm just tired. I had a bad dream that's all. Maybe it's just the weather. We've been cooped up inside the last few days.'

Booth looked at her closely. 'Its stopped raining, maybe after breakfast we should get out for a bit. Maybe we could go for a run together. The woods are quite lovely. And the cemetery is nearby; he said handing her the keys. We could make it a date.'

Brennan looked at him for a few seconds and then smiled. 'You want to go to the cemetery...'

'Well you like dead people don't you? Said Booth smiling at her, jokingly.'

'Ha ha. Very funny, she said giving him a light punch. Booth grinned at her. A jog sounds nice. Sure.'

Booth smiled as he watched Brennan clip on her ipod and put her phone in her pocket. Booth put his hand on the small of her back and Brennan glanced at him as he followed her outside into the cool but wintery sunshine.

Grandma Dais glanced at her son, Matthew who was cutting up his omelet into pieces after handing Betty Ann and Jamie a glass of juice; he seemed to be in a foul mood. He had been talking to someone on the phone when he stormed into the kitchen and started making his omelet. The kids had noticed he was angry about something and were sitting at the table eating their breakfasts as quiet as mice. Daisy glanced up when she heard him speak.

'I just found out some news about Dr. Brennan and Seeley Booth. They're police. They're trying to solve those murders. I dont want you hanging around with Dr. Brennan again. They're not your friends. She just used you last night. You need to be careful what you say around them.' Said Matthew looking at his mother with a threatening expression.

Daisy had seen her son in that kind of mood plenty of times, so she knew exactly what to say to calm him down. He looked pleased when she told him that she would be careful.

'Bye kids. I'll play ball with you later Jamie. The rain's finally stopped. I'm going out hiking.'

Jamie looked happy and excited at playing with his Uncle Matthew. But Betty Ann just kept on eating her cereal. She didn't look interested at all.

Daisy looked at her grand-daughter and glanced at the drawing she had drawn last night. She frowned as she recognized the woman in the picture. Dr Brennan was running in the woods being followed by a man in a black jacket. Daisy looked more closely and she noticed a patch of blue on his hand; she instantly recognized that it was the blue band from her husband George's watch; she had given it to her son after her husband had died. Of course, the watch had broken down years ago, so Matthew had pulled it apart and salvaged the leather band and had had a new watch custom made using the old band. It was one of Matthew's few prized possessions. Daisy felt her heart skip a beat when she noticed the knife that Matthew held in his hand and she immediately felt sick. She wondered exactly why her son was so adamant about not helping the police solve those murders. Daisy had lost so many people in the last few years so she wondered exactly why her own son wouldn't want the murders to end. She told the kids to finish eating their breakfasts and crept into her son's room feeling suspicious. She glanced around and had to grin at the messy room. She and her son had often had arguments and disagreements about keeping his room clean. Daisy had gotten so sick of picking up after him that she had blatantly refused to step foot in his room for the last twenty years. Daisy walked over to his bed and noticed a small bible sized black book on his bedside table. She smiled as she recognized it. It was her husband's journal. George jealously guarded that book and had never allowed anybody to see it. He had kept it under lock and key for a great many years and then a few days before he passed away he had had left it on his nightstand, unlocked. She couldn't bring herself to read his journal at the time, so she had given it to Matthew. She remembered how engrossed Matthew had become in the journal. Daisy opened it and started reading.

_Tuesday. _

_My sister Matilda came home crying today. I was completely shocked when I saw her disheveled appearance. She told me that Loren Carver had tripped her and that her assistant teacher Therese had humiliated her by insisting that she take her skirt and shirt off because they were dirty. And the reason that Loren Carver tripped Matilda up was because the clothes she wore wasn't fancy enough for her taste. First Jonathon Carver got my dad fired from his job as a doctor and now his niece Loren Carver is busy teasing her and humiliating her because we can't afford the basic necessities of life. I told her I would take care of it. And I will. After all I'm her brother. Loren Carver has finally messed with the wrong person. _

_Friday_

_I've finally avenged my father and my sister. Loren Carver is dead. The joy and happiness I felt as I stabbed Loren in the leg and hung her up in the trees was amazing. I've never felt so powerful in all my life as I did when I killed her. I killed Loren Carver. As I listened to the sounds of her mother screaming, I felt the most incredible sense of joy; as pleasing as any sound of hearing my mother singing the lullaby that she sung to both me and my sister to sooth us to sleep. I killed Loren Carver. But she deserved it. Nobody gets away with hurting the people in my family... _

Loren Carver appeared in the room and stood by her friend's side. She watched her with those sad eyes as she sat there helplessly.

Daisy felt a sense of grief when she thought about the fact that her husband, the man that she had married, the man that she had trusted with all her life had been the one who had stolen her best friend from her. She felt the most intense feeling of both grief and betrayal that she had ever felt in her life. She dropped the book on the floor as if the book had burnt her. She didn't want to read anymore. She sat down on the bed as the strength left her. And then she looked around helplessly. She winced a little as she sat on something lumpy; she looked under the covers and saw another book. She picked it up and just held it for a few seconds wondering if she had the strength to look in the book.

Loren Carver walked over to her and sat next to her putting an arm on her shoulder.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then she opened the book. Daisy knew that she probably wouldn't like what she read but she seemed to gain some strength from some force that she couldn't see.

She opened the book and saw newspaper cutouts of the murders that had happened since her husband had passed away.

FAMILY MOURNS THE LOSS OF DAPHNE FILLERSON.

Daisy felt her heart beating and the blood rushing in her head as she felt angry.

_Wednesday. From the journal of Matthew Willowsen. _

_Dad said that he got the most intense, powerful joy he'd ever experienced was when he killed Loren Carver those many years ago; He was so right. I felt it too. I can't tell you the amazing powerful feeling you get when you discover that for a few hours you're the one who's in control of someone's life. It's like playing with fate; if the person does this, then I can do this. If they do that then I can do this. Whichever way they go, it all ends the same: they die. At my hands. So much for everyone telling you that the only person you ever control is yourself. I've discovered that that's simply not true. At least not in my case. When I'm killing someone, I'm the one in control. They just simply become the mice; mice that are stuck playing my game. _

Daisy looked closed the book. And then the immense feeling of grief took over her and she began to cry. She jumped when she felt a hand on her. She looked up and saw Loren. Her best friend sitting next to her, comforting her; giving her strength. Those blonde curls that Daisy had been so envious of. The beautiful white dress that they had both tried on during the last few hours that they had spent together. _Am I dead? Daisy asked Loren. Loren just looked at her and gestured to the door. That's when Daisy saw her grand-daughter, Betty Ann and the drawing of Dr. Brennan in the woods lying on the grass, blood gashing out of her cheek, with Matthew about to stab her. _

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	7. Chapter 7 Confrontations

THE GHOST IN THE TREES

CHAPTER 7. CONFRONTATIONS

Disclaimer. Bones belongs to FOX.

I'mmmmmmm baaaack. I been out sick with the flu so i know i havent updated in a while. Diabetes and flu, lets just say thats not a great combination. But i'm glad that it wasnt too severe this time. Last time i was sick i lost my appetite, my voice...etc. for three whole weeks. This time it only lasted a week, even so being sick during easter wasnt that much fun. Half the fun of easter is eating good food and lots of chocolate. Lol. Anyways, here's a new chapter. There's one more chapter coming after this and then i'll be concentrating on A picture tells a story. Bones has been renewed for a 7th season. YAAAY.! Talk about fantastic news. Thanks to all who reviewed and keep them coming.

'I'll race ya.' Said Booth running ahead of Bones before she could respond. He laughed as he heard her yelp in indignation and then she sped up and ran to catch up with him.

_Matthew Willowsen grinned to himself as he heard the two of them horsing and playing around. Soon. He thought to himself. He steadied the knife in his hand and ran one finger down the blade. He smiled as the knife gleamed in the light wintry sunlight. He glimpsed a flash of black hair and smiled as he kept her in his sight. _

Brennan stopped in front of a clearing with twigs and burnt earth. She glanced down and realised that this was a popular camping ground. She remembered that the groundskeeper Weatherby said that teenagers often went camping in the woods when the weather cleared up. She glanced around and listened to the sounds of the birds twittering and singing, nearby she heard the sounds of the water slap slapping in the nearby lake where she heard the sound of a fishing rod slipping into the water. She leaned against the tree and took her shoe off when she felt a sharp pain on her foot. She glanced in her shoe and saw that a rock had slipped into it. She removed the rock and rubbed her foot for a few seconds before putting her shoe back on. She glanced up at the big willow tree and frowned. She noticed that there were two other huge willow trees nearby that looked older than all the others. She noticed that all the other trees were babies and that they had all been planted recently, but that the three willow trees had remained there. She glanced down at the little patch of grass by her feet and moved the grass when she saw something grey underneath it. _Dedicated to my lovely daughter Loren Carver, who was very much loved; my beautiful daughter who was taken too soon._ Brennan glanced up uneasy when she heard a twig snapping. She jumped as she listened to the birds screech and fly away alarmed. She listened and noticed that it was now silent; she also noticed that she could no longer hear the person who had been fishing nearby.

'Booth. She whispered. If that's you it's not funny.'

She moved the leaves out of her hair when she felt a few leaves fall down to the ground. She shivered as she noticed that the sun had disappeared making the woods seem dark, gloomy and cold. She noticed more leaves fall to the ground and gasped when she saw a little boy in the tree with brown curly hair watching her solemnly.

'Hi. How did you get up there?' she asked him. She glanced at him more closely and felt that he looked familiar even though she couldn't place where she had seen the boy. The boy looked up sharply when he saw a flash of black coming towards Brennan. Brennan screeched a little bit as the man in black pulled a knife on her hitting her in the face. Brennan kicked him and got up and ran towards the river, where she had heard somebody fishing nearby. She gasped in fear when she noticed the blood on the ground. She saw the bloody fishing rod and she walked over and picked it up and she fell back when the dead body came up with the fishing rod. She groaned as she wiped her face where the man in black had hit her and noticed the blood on her fingers. She blinked a few times trying to see through the haze. She ran again and got out her mobile phone and messaged Booth. _Where are you? Help. _

_Matthew glanced at the man fishing in the lake. Wrong place. Wrong time. Buddy. He thought to himself. He snuck up on the elderly man and killed him, hooking his body up onto the fishing rod and stashing him into the water. He watched as Dr Brennan looked at the grave of Loren Carver and then as he noticed her looking up into the big willow tree he realized that this was his opportunity. He ran towards her with the knife and he felt a sense of satisfaction as he noticed the blood on his knife. He had gotten her in the face but he groaned when he felt her kick. He was in pain for a few minutes. When he had recovered he got back up again and ran after her feeling angry that this woman had escaped him. _

Booth stopped at a tree and called out, 'I won. Bones. I won.' And then he looked around and noticed that Bones was nowhere in sight. He looked up at the sky and noticed that the sun had disappeared making it pretty dark. He glanced down at his mobile phone when he felt it vibrating. He opened the message and paled when he saw what was written. _George Willowsen murdered Loren Carver, the DNA matches. There are DNA commonalities between the five recent murders. George Willowsen and Daisy Grandhold had a son._ _Matthew Willowsen. _

Booth groaned as he realized the trouble that he had put Bones in because of his goofing around. He should have kept her close to him. He should have...Booth glanced at the new text message from Bones and he frantically went searching for her after he read it. He ran towards the water and stopped when he saw the dead body floating face up on the water; he ran towards the sounds of running feet and the sound of a scream nearby; Booth realized with a sick feeling that he might not get to her in time.

Brennan stopped for a few seconds and looked around, she listened hard. She wheezed a little and then she gasped when she saw a woman in front of her. She calmed down a little when she recognized her. Grandma Dais. 'Come with me, child.' Brennan followed her grateful that she wasn't alone. She looked up and noticed that she was in the cemetery. Brennan stopped and noticed that Grandma Dais was no longer there.

'Grandma Dais. Brennan called. Where are you?' Brennan walked towards the nearest headstone and looked at the name. _In loving memory of my wife and son, Ben Carver and Lillian Carver. _And next to that headstone was Loren Carver's headstone._ Dedicated to the memory of Loren Carver. _

_With a guttural cry Matthew grabbed Brennan and pushed her down to the dirt ground. Brennan struggled with him and when Matthew hit her she felt herself almost floating. All she could feel was the pain of his punch. Matthew was about to stab her when he looked up at the headstone and gasped. With a shock he fell back when he saw his mother glaring at him. He felt the wind get knocked out of him when he looked at the woman standing next to her. A young girl with long blonde curly hair. He recognized her and he felt scared. And next to them he noticed the five women that he had murdered during the last fifteen years; all standing there, staring at him, glaring at him. He felt his heart twisting painfully as he looked at their bloody clothing. _

'_You're dead. You're all dead. He said. I killed you.' And then he screamed as they walked towards him. Matthew fell to the ground and started twisting and writhing. _

Booth ran towards the scream and he fell to the ground at Brennan's feet. He put his hands over her face and gently wiped the blood away.

'Bones. Bones. Wake up babe. You're okay. Help's on the way.' Said Booth.

'_Wake up babe. You're okay.' Brennan sighed as she felt Booth's soft gentle hands on her. Am I dead? She thought to herself. And then she opened her eyes and saw Booth standing over her and realized that she wasn't dead. She was alive. She shuddered a little. _

Booth noticed and helped her up a little and then he put his arms around her shoulders and she leant her head against his broad chest. Brennan felt safe and loved. Brennan concentrated on Booth's warmth and strength as her breathing slowed.

The doctor looked her over and put a bandage over her cheek. Booth sighed in relief when the Doctor found that Brennan hadn't been physically hurt beyond the cut on her cheek.

'Wait. Where's grandma Dais? She was here before, she helped me.' Said Brennan.

The Doctor looked at her a little oddly.

'Daisy Willowsen? Ah I knew her. She was a beautiful young lady.'

'You knew her? She was right here. Where is she?' asked Brennan. Booth put a hand over hers soothingly.

'You've been through an extreme ordeal, Dr. Brennan. It couldn't possibly have been Grandma Dais. She died of a heart attack an hour earlier.'

Brennan stared at him in shock. She shivered slightly.

'I'd recommend that you get plenty of sleep Dr Brennan. Perhaps you'll feel better in the morning.'

Booth glanced at his Bones looking at the stretcher carrying Matthew Willowsen. She looked at his eyes that were open and staring; staring at something nobody else could see and she shivered again as Booth gently led her home to their apartment. He got her bed ready for her and tucked her into the covers. Since Brennan was tired after her ordeal and her sleepless night, she was none too happy to follow the doctor's orders; although she still wondered exactly what she had seen.

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	8. Chapter 8 Aurevoire Till we meet again

THE GHOST IN THE TREES.

CHAPTER 8. AUREVOIRE: TILL WE MEET AGAIN.

Meanwhile Betty Ann was sitting in the kitchen finishing off her cereal. She glanced up as her brother Jamie, who had finished earlier and had gotten bored; rush into his room. She felt herself shiver as she felt a presence and then she smiled as she recognized who it was. With a sinking feeling she realized what it meant. She rushed to Grandma Dais room and not finding her there rushed into her Uncle Matthews room. She walked over towards the bed and felt her grandma laying there. She rested her head on her grandmother's chest trying to listen for a heartbeat, but there was nothing. She put her hand on her grandmother's face but it felt lukewarm. She was almost cold. Jamie had heard Betty Ann running towards his grandma's room and came in to see his grandma lying in bed, apparently sleeping. Betty Ann, recognizing her brother's presence turned to him. She didn't want to scare him; so she told him that grandma was sick and that she was going to call their mum and the doctor and to stay with her. Betty Ann knew that she was dead and that there wasn't anything that the doctor could do but she didn't want to be the one to explain to her brother about another death. She called her mother and the ambulance who showed up five minutes after her call.

Jamie glanced at his grandmother sleeping and he went and sat next to her holding her hand. He ran his fingers over her papery, rough skin gently. He looked at her black hair with silver streaks and her eyebrows. Jamie loved his grandma's eyes but her eyes were shut. He lifted up her eyelids and saw the brownish orange of her eyes. His grandma was sick, that was what Betty Ann had said. He didn't want his grandma to be scared so he lay down next to her covering his grandma up with a blanket. He moved a little closer and winced as he felt something underneath the sheets. He pulled up the sheets and saw two books. He picked them up and opened one with a frown.

_Wednesday. From the journal of Matthew Willowsen. _

_Dad said that he got the most intense, powerful joy he'd ever experienced was when..._

Betty Ann placed the phone down softly and walked around the kitchen in small circles. She was impatient. She stopped pacing and sat down on a chair and shivered as she felt the draft coming from the window. She went and closed it. And then she went still as she felt the sense of alarm coming off Loren Carver's spirit. She listened closely and she walked towards her Uncle's room quietly. She walked into the room and shouted boo. Her brother jumped in fear and the book he was reading dropped to the floor. He yelped in anger and shouted at his sister. 'Don't do that ever again.' Jamie glared at his sister, but all in vain. He wished his sister wasn't blind so that she could see his glare; but she was blind and she couldn't. They both jumped when they heard their mother and the ambulance rush into the apartment.

The tears ran down Amy's face as the paramedics lifted out her mother's body after the paramedic checked out Daisy and shook his head at Amy and the nearby people who were standing to the side. William Weatherby sat to the side and handed her a cup of tea. He held her hand sympathetically. Amy stared down at the cup of tea as if she didn't recognize what it was. She looked up puzzled as three police officers walked into the room. She felt incensed and scared when they told her that they had received evidence that Matthew, her brother Matthew had murdered all those women and had attempted to kill Dr. Brennan. She couldn't take much more when Betty Ann walked into the room and handed her the two journals that Jamie had tried to read before his sister had scared her; the journals that Grandma Dais had read before she died. Amy opened it up with a frown and saw the cut out articles of the five women who had died; she read his first journal entry and she felt sick. She turned page after page and she stopped when she saw a picture of Dr. Brennan on the last page. She turned the pages but it was empty. He hadn't written anything else. She closed the book with a snap and handed the journals to the nearest detective. 'There's your evidence.' Said Amy feeling completely torn up and heartbroken. I must go visit my brother in the hospital. If you could watch Betty Ann and Jamie I'd really appreciate it.' She said to William Weatherby who nodded. She looked in the hospital room and she shivered as she saw her brother's eyes which were open and unseeing, staring at something... Whatever he was staring at she didn't know; she listened to the monitor beep beeping steadily and the steady breaths in and out her brother took. She watched and listened to the rise and fall of his chest and she looked outside at the drops of water cascading down the window panes as the rain started again; the heavens crying the tears that she couldn't seem to shed.

Brennan and Booth stood to the side next to a big tree as they watched the pall bearers lower the casket into the whole at the cemetery. Brennan glanced to her right and saw the tree where the little kid had been in. She felt fear as she thought about nearly dying. Booth looked down at Brennan as she lightly touched the cut on her face which was still healing. He gritted his teeth in anger as he thought about nearly losing Bones to some idiot who would have senselessly killed her for some thrill. He should have protected her. He should have been a better partner. As if Brennan could sense his thoughts she stepped a little closer to him and he was distracted by the heat coming off her hips which were just a breath away from his. He looked up as Amy began speaking. He smiled as he listened to the poem that Daisy Grandholdt had written after the murder of Loren Carver.

I'll stand here by the window, watching the world go by

And I'll pause for a moment and imagine you as I saw you last;

Laughing and running around,

Enjoying the sun on your face and the grass under your feet;

I'll always see you helping and teaching the birds to fly;

I'll see you giving them hope.

God, don't let me dream of what never was;

Let me close my eyes and see what was.

When I look in the mirror I see the years pass by;

My skin has grown wrinkly; my hair is tinged with grey,

But as I stand and look in the mirror

Out of the corners of my eye I catch a glimpse of you

Glimpses of you, as you were.

Your blonde curls blowing in the cool breeze,

Your lithe and graceful body,

Your youthful and joyous expression,

Your laugh which I can just hear, If I just listen carefully,

I close my eyes and I see you all so clear,

You're so far away now,

But you're always still here;

I can feel you near;

I can hear you whispering in my ear;

I don't wanna feel the pain of you leaving and moving on

To a place where I can't follow you.

So I'll try to put you in the past;

But you are with me, wherever I go.

God, don't let me dream about what never was;

Let me close my eyes and dream about what was.

I'll lie down peacefully in the grass

And stare up into the deep blue sky,

And imagine you lying down next to me;

As together, you and I watch the world go by;

I feel the firmness of the earth underneath me,

And the soft sun on my face,

God, let me close my eyes now

And I'll dream of you, and all that could be.

Brennan wiped the tears off her face as she listened to the broken voice of Amy, standing alone, as she read her mother's poem. She glanced at Jamie and Betty Ann who were sitting beside William Weatherby. She felt pity for them. They had lost their grandmother. They had lost their Uncle. The three of them were pretty much alone; still. She knew that Amy would see that they were well cared for. She sighed sadly as she watched the mourners go over to Amy and the kids and offer them comfort. The funeral was over. Brennan glanced in the mirror and adjusted her shirt. She sighed with satisfaction knowing that they had solved not only the five recent murders but the murder of Loren Carver. She felt sad knowing that they hadn't solved her murder years ago; Loren Carver and her parents deserved the justice of seeing George Willowsen behind bars. She felt sad that Loren's family had never gotten closure or justice for her murder. But they had found the murderer, even if it was a little too late. Brennan took comfort from the fact that Matthew Willowsen would never be able to hurt anybody again. She had just finished packing and was about to put the fire out in the fireplace when there was a knock on the door. She opened the door curiously to find Amy standing there, looking both sad and ashamed.

'I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what my brother did.' Said Amy; handing her a plastic plate of chocolate mocha brownies.

'There's nothing to apologize for. You didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to apologize for your brother,' Said Brennan, accepting the brownies with a smile.

'My brother's in a coma. The doctors tell me that it'd be a miracle if he ever wakes up. And even if he does he'll be serving a life sentence in jail; So I'm apologizing because I know that he can't and won't be able to. I just can't believe he could have done this. I can't believe the man who raised me as his own was the one that killed my mother's best friend. I can understand why he did it though. He was just trying to defend my mother. His sister...'

'Your mother?' Asked Booth confused as he walked towards them buttoning up his shirt. Brennan looked over at his bare chest feeling a little mesmerized by his six pack abs. She felt turned on and she suddenly felt the desire to brush her hands over his chest... She snapped out of her reverie and chided herself for thinking such things. She tore her eyes away from his chest and tried to concentrate on Amy.

'Matilda Willowsen. Matilda was my mother. She died in a car accident when I was five. After the accident I came to live with her brother George, my Uncle, His wife Daisy and their son Matthew. They took me in and raised me as their own. I can understand why my Uncle George murdered Loren Carver but what my brother, my cousin did to those women; there was no reason for that. I'm mad at my brother, but what I'm really mad at is these journals. Matthew read dad's journal; Uncle George poisoned his mind...

Brennan moaned in sympathy.

'I don't want these books around my house. I need you to get rid of them. I need to protect my son from seeing these books. I'm not going to give him the opportunity to repeat history.'

Booth glanced at Amy with some respect. He smiled and took the books from her and he glanced around the room. He saw the fire burning in the fireplace. He knew exactly what to do.

'I'll put these books where they belong.' And Booth opened the books and tore the pages out; and page by page he threw them into the fire; they watched in satisfaction as the papers turned into ash as the fire swallowed them. Amy hugged both Brennan and Booth and left thanking them for bringing her grandmother some closure.

Booth tried to grab Brennan's bags but she glared at him and insisted that she didn't need any help. He grinned as Brennan walked out of their apartment handing William Weatherby their keys as they walked out the door. She slammed the trunk closed and she got into the car buttoning up her jacket as she noticed how cold it was. She glanced at the fog around her. She sat back in her seat, almost feeling glad that she wasn't the one who had to drive through the fog. Booth put the keys into the ignition and turned the car on and slowly drove off waving to William Weatherby.

'Weird guy. Said Booth. I don't think I ever heard him speak a word. If this were a movie I'd say he was a ghost.'

Brennan sighed and rolled her eyes. 'You're letting your imagination go wild, Booth. Too many movies. He's just an old man.'

'You were the one who thought she saw Daisy Grandholdt in the cemetery a few days ago. What do you think that was if not a ghost?' Asked Booth putting on the headlights and putting his face closer to the windshield so he could see through the haze.

Brennan glared. 'I don't know what I saw. I was hallucinating. Matthew had hit me in the face. The adrenaline coursing through me caused me to see things that weren't there. There are no such things as ghosts...' Brennan's voice trailed off as she looked outside the window and through the haze she saw a much younger looking Daisy Grandholdt standing next to a girl with blonde curly hair with a huge smile on her face and a little boy with curly brown hair and mischievous, laughing eyes; Brennan shivered as she recognized him as the kid she had seen in the tree at the cemetery. She had seen him before; and with a start she realized where. That was Ben. Ben Carver. Brennan watched as Daisy, Ben and Loren waved to her and Booth. She sat back in her seat and silently reminded herself. _You're hallucinating. There are no such things as ghosts. Are there?... _**THE END. **

Hi. I know its been a very long time since I last wrote but I've been busy. I think I mentioned last time that i've spent the last few months submitting my fiction to magazines and competitions to see whether they're publishable; so I decided to concentrate on that for a while. I entered another competition. I had the choice to either write another short story or to enter in the novel that's been in the works for the last year. I decided to enter in my novel, which meant that I had to write half a novel in four weeks. If anyone's ever tried writing a novel you know how time consuming that can be. So i didnt have much time to concentrate on writing fan fiction. But the deadline for the novel is over now, and I'm just waiting to hear... so hopefully you all enjoyed reading this story and I'll be finishing A PICTURE TELLS A STORY very soon. - WILDLILPONY

Enjoy and review.


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